Nursery Reports

[apple]

Hi all

I have been asked to review and redo our report template to cut down the workload (hurray!) I was looking through the statutory guidance for anywhere that said about reporting to parents at end of year and I cannot see anything for Nursery year.

 

Can anyone point me in the direction of examples (had a look on TES website and here but they are quite old). How do other go about writing end of year reports?

Currently we have one side with colour photo of child and their drawing; inside there is the standard LA age band highlighting system e.g. working within/securely in a band, and comments for each area of learning; plus child's comments and teachers comments.

 

Parents always like the front cover and the teacher's and child's comments. Is there a better way to relate their age/stage I wonder?

Any pointers/examples would be appreciated.

 

thanks

Apple

[Cait]

I used to do loads, writing up about each area of learning with examples etc, but found in later years that parents actually want less, and more anecdotal comments. So a couple of photos of the child really involved or having great fun with something they regularly access. Maybe a picture of themselves the child had drawn. Then just write about the child as if you were describing them to their next teacher. Comments or anecdotes really go down well, such as 'Charlie spends a long time with the paint, and even when we had to strip him down to his underpants when he over-exuberantly squirted more paint into the pot, still happily accesses this and is confident to get more paint out for himself and for other children."

I also used to ask the children what they liked best about themselves and each other and I enclosed this with their report. Parents particularly liked these, even when it was a simple comment such as "I really like Suzie because she has lovely bobbles in her hair" "I do jigsaws with Sam and he's good at them". I have had children come to me decades later and quote these to me, so they obviously make an impact. One I particularly remember was "Mummy says I'm such a chatterbox, but she likes it really"

[Rafa]

I like Caits idea iof asking the children what they like about self and friends! Lovely : )

 

Like Cait we have always written far too much and now that parents get 'our thoughts' regularly via Tapestry, it would feel very repetative.

We have been debating wether or not to use the report option on the Tapestry or to do one last 'Transition Report' as an observation - add one photo and a photo of a drawing of themselves then write a brief resume about the child and CoL. and pdf it for school

 

Must we put the age band and refinement??? Parents have had this info all along and I always feel that it rather boxes them in. Plus the school generally makes their own judgement at home visit - and sticks to it!!

 

I feel phrases like 'working well towards......'. or 'beginning to..........' sounds much more user friendly.

[apple]

Thank you so far. Yes our current report includes a lovely photo of the child on the front and their own personal drawing next to it, including any attempt at their name; we also ask them about their friends and even what they would like to be when they grow up which often produces some wonderful, far out ideas which are often very funny, but really reflect what they are interested in. I think you are absolutely right to stick to the anecdotal comments as this makes them even more reader friendly. I just wondered if there was anywhere in the guidance that says we have to report? I can't see anything myself for this age group, apart from the usual keeping parents informed throughout the year.

[Cait]

I think I remember that there's no statutory requirement to report until the end of the EYFS

[lynned55]

The only statutory reports are the 2 year progress and at end of foundation stage

[MegaMum]

I've simplified the 'transition' report right down as I don't think the teacher bothers reading them. She is only interested in what age band they are in, so sge can group them in reception! We used to write up all areas of learning and it was taking the staff up to three hours to write one.

 

I am now thinking of doing the same with progress summaries. Our LA gave us a template covering COEL's and 7 areas of learning. They take forever. Have any of you simplified these?

[catma]

I think I remember that there's no statutory requirement to report until the end of the EYFS

For schools other legislation applies I think - to report at least once a year in writing to parents. Fairly certain that is for any pupil on roll which would include nursery. Hence at this time of year I was found writing 56 individual reports as I was the teacher and it's our job under TP&C!! ::1a

CX

[catma]

The only statutory reports are the 2 year progress and at end of foundation stage

As above - not if you are in a school, where other legislation also applies.

"Headteachers at maintained schools, including maintained special schools must prepare annual reports for every pupil’s parents. You must make arrangements for parents to discuss the report with their child’s teacher, if they so wish to do so."